Recoater force sensor array for spatial and temporal in-situ powder spreading quality and surface defect monitoring

Abstract

The present aspects include a recoater blade system. The recoater blade system includes a blade body with a longitudinal length between a first end and a second end, and a sensor device associated with the blade body. The sensor device is configured to receive inputs relating to characteristics of a powder bed. The inputs may include drag force of the blade body across the powder bed and impact force on the blade body, and these inputs may determine the spreading quality of the blade body and any surface defects that may be present.

1 . A recoater blade system, comprising:
 a recoater blade including a blade body with a longitudinal length between a first end and a second end; and   a sensor device associated with the blade body, wherein the sensor device is configured to receive input relating to a powder bed characteristic.   
     
     
         2 . The recoater blade system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is configured to measure a drag force of the blade body across the powder bed. 
     
     
         3 . The recoater blade system of  claim 2 , wherein the powder bed characteristic comprises a spreading quality of the blade body. 
     
     
         4 . The recoater blade system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is configured to measure an impact force on the blade body. 
     
     
         5 . The recoater blade system of  claim 4 , wherein the powder bed characteristic comprises a surface defect in the powder bed. 
     
     
         6 . The recoater blade system of  claim 1 , wherein the powder bed characteristic comprises a spreading quality of the blade body and a surface defect in the powder bed, and wherein the sensor device is configured to measure a drag force of the blade body across the powder bed and to measure an impact force on the blade body. 
     
     
         7 . The recoater blade system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is mounted on or adjacent to the blade body. 
     
     
         8 . The recoater blade system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device comprises at least a tactile sensor or a non-tactile sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The recoater blade system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device comprises an array of sensors that extend longitudinally between the first end and the second end of the blade body. 
     
     
         10 . The recoater blade system of  claim 9 , wherein the blade body comprises a mounting surface spaced apart from a powder-spreading surface, wherein the mounting surface and the powder-spreading surface each extend longitudinally between the first end and the second end, and wherein the array of sensors extends longitudinally on or adjacent to the mounting surface. 
     
     
         11 . The recoater blade system of  claim 10 , wherein each sensor of the array of sensors are spaced apart and located at a known position along the mounting surface. 
     
     
         12 . The recoater blade system of  claim 10 , wherein the array of sensors is located on the mounting surface in a position substantially opposing the powder-spreading surface. 
     
     
         13 . The recoater blade system of  claim 10 , wherein the blade body further comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge connected by the powder-spreading surface, wherein the array of sensors is located on or adjacent to at least the leading edge or the trailing edge. 
     
     
         14 . The recoater blade system of  claim 9 , wherein the array of sensors comprises a first number of sensors based on a first hardness of the blade body, and wherein the array of sensors comprises a second number of sensors based on a second hardness of the blade body, wherein the first number of sensors is greater than the second number of sensors when the first hardness is less than the second hardness. 
     
     
         15 . The recoater blade system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device comprises a plurality of arrays of sensors. 
     
     
         16 . The recoater blade system of  claim 15 , wherein a first array of sensors of the plurality of arrays of sensors is mounted on a first axis extending between the first end and the second end of the blade body, wherein a second array of sensors of the plurality of arrays of sensors is mounted on a second axis spaced apart from the first axis and extending between the first end and the second end of the blade body. 
     
     
         17 . The recoater blade system of  claim 16 , wherein each sensor of the first array of sensors is offset along the longitudinal length of the blade body from each sensor of the second array of sensors. 
     
     
         18 . The recoater blade system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is configured to transmit measurement information relating to the powder bed characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . The recoater blade system of  claim 18 , wherein the measurement information causes a change in operation of an additive manufacturing system in which the recoater blade system is mounted or a replacement of the recoater blade. 
     
     
         20 . The recoater blade system of  claim 18 , wherein the change in operation of the additive manufacturing system comprises at least changing a power of a laser applied to a specific area of a surface of a powder bed of the additive manufacturing system corresponding to the powder bed characteristic, changing an environmental condition associated with the powder in the powder bed, adding additional powder to the powder bed, or canceling operation of the laser. 
     
     
         21 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
 a build surface configured to hold a powder bed of a powder material;   a laser configured to irradiate a surface of the powder bed to form a portion of an additively manufactured part;   a recoater blade system, comprising:
 a recoater blade including a blade body with a longitudinal length between a first end and a second end, wherein the recoater blade is configured to smooth the surface of the powder bed; and 
 a sensor device associated with the blade body, wherein the sensor device is configured to receive input relating to a powder bed characteristic, and to transmit measurement information relating to the powder bed characteristic; and 
   a controller configured to:
 receive the measurement information relating to the powder bed characteristic; and 
 cause at least a change in operation of the additive manufacturing system or an indication for replacement of the recoater blade based on the measurement information. 
   
     
     
         22 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 21 , wherein the change in operation of the additive manufacturing system comprises at least changing a power of a laser applied to a specific area of a surface of a powder bed of the additive manufacturing system corresponding to the powder bed characteristic, changing an environmental condition associated with the powder in the powder bed, adding additional powder to the powder bed, or canceling operation of the laser. 
     
     
         23 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine a baseline characteristic associated with the measurement information relating to the powder bed characteristic;   determine a difference between a current characteristic of the measurement information relating to the powder bed characteristic and the baseline characteristic; and   trigger the change in operation of the additive manufacturing system or the indication for replacement of the recoater blade based on the difference being greater than a threshold.